Refuse disposal apparatus

ABSTRACT

The following specification discloses an apparatus for location within restaurants, stores, warehouses, apartment buildings, and the like for shredding and packing refuse into bag-like containers. The apparatus includes a sealing means for sealing the container air-tight to insure that all odours emanating from the refuse are held within it while the container awaits pick-up for disposal.

United States Patent 1 DeFilippi Jan. 21, 1975 REFUSE DISPOSAL APPARATUS[76] Inventor: Quinto DeFilippi, 21 Chauncey Ave., Toronto, Ontario,Canada 22 Filed: May 21,1973

21 Appl. No; 362,960

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data May 30, 1972 Canada 143398 [52]US. Cl. 53/124 B, 53/124 C, 100/97 [51] Int. Cl B65b 1/24 [58] Field ofSearch 53/124 B, 124 C; 100/96, 1

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Liebman 241/236 X 3,547,57711/1968 Lovercheck 100/97 X 3,563,168 2/1971 Doninger 53/124 B X3,651,755 3/1972 Gati 100/96 3,721,060 3/1973 Quinto 53/124 B PrimaryExaminer-Travis S. McGehee [57] ABSTRACT The following specificationdiscloses an apparatus for location within restaurants, stores,warehouses. apartment buildings, and the like for shredding and packingrefuse into bag-like containers. The apparatus includes a sealing meansfor sealing the container air-tight to insure that all odours emanatingfrom the refuse are held within it while the container awaits pick-upfor disposal.

10 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTED i975 3,861.1 l 7 SHEEI EMF 3 FIG.5

The present invention relates to a refuse disposal apparatus. Inparticular the apparatus hereinafter described provides a refusehandling container that can be located inside a plant or store premisesto shred, compact, and seal refuse into a packaged block for delivery toand disposal by refuse collection agencies without the necessity ofhaving the container itself removed for dumping to dispose of therefuse.

1 It is known that the common type of metal container with or withoutplastic liner and metal lid now used for holding refuse in restaurantsand food stores are unsightly, unsanitary and because of the loosenature of most methods of filling the containers require much storagespace to keep before pick-up. Such containers are difficult to seal toeliminate the unpleasant odours developed in them, thereby requiringtheir storage in ventilated places distant from the public and workingparts of the premises. Another common method of storage of refuse priorto collection by large establishments is the use of large packing unitsthat hold a quantity of refuse until a tractor arrives to hoist the unitonto its trailer for carriage and dumping at a refuse yard orincinerator. Such units are unsightly and evil smelling and cause muchunnecessary handling as the whole massive and weighty container must becarried to and from the disposal site, often across the city many milesin order to empty the contents.

It is the principle object of the present invention to provide a refusecompacter that compacts and shreds the refuse, and packages it intosealed plastic envelopes for delivery to the refuse site without thenecessity of the apparatus being moved from the premises and occupying aminimum of storage space while awaiting collection.

It is known that much of the space used during storage of refusecomprises entrapped air between the constituents of the refuse such ascrumpled paper, bottles, cans and the like. It is an object, therefore,of the present invention to limit the amount of entrapped air in therefuse by first breaking and shredding all the constituents to finechunks and then compacting the chunks into a solid block. The block ofrefuse is dimensioned to a size that can be easily handled by a singleworker. Before ejection from the compactor of the de vice, athermoplastic envelope is sealed around the block to insure that vermincannot gain access to it and that it will not emit odours while awaitingcollection prior to disposal.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The foregoing object is achieved by theapparatus of the invention which comprises a hopper for receivingrefuse, shredding means positioned within said hopper; and deliverymeans to direct the shredded refuse to a compacting chamber where therefuse is subjected to ramming while being enveloped by a film ofthermoplastic material. When the envelope of compacted refuse issufficiently full the shredding and compacting is arrested while asealing unit is actuated. The sealing unit comprises a means to closetwo opposite sides of the envelope until they contact one another.

The closure means has associated with it a pair of impulse electricheating elements which when abutted one with another and the two sidesof the envelope between them will cause the envelope to melt and sealthe sides together at the point of contact with the heating element.After the sealingunit is returned to rest posi tion an ejector meansrams the block of packaged refuse from the packer where it can beman-handled for storage and disposal.

The above and other features of the invention will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art to which this invention pertains from the followingdetailed description and drawings in which;

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a container for packing refuse cutaway in part to indicate the internal structural elements andcomponents.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional end view of the shredders showing thepreferred displacement of a row of teeth.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the compacting chamber showing thestructure of the sealing means, and showing the location in brokenlines, of an envelope of thermoplastic film at the time of sealing andalso after ejection from the compacting chamber.

FIG. 4 is a view looking downward over the sealing unit shown when inopen position in solid line and in closed sealing position in dottedlines with theoutline of the envelope in dotted broken lines also.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus taken through thecentre of the compacting ram, the shredding chamber, and the compactingchamber showing the method of storing folds of thermoplastic tube aroundthe envelope cage and the disposition of the ram above the compactingchamber.

FIG. 6 is a view partially in section of sealing means. showing theparts of the impulse heater.

In the following detailed description and in the drawings like referencecharacters indicate like parts;

In FIG. 1, a container 10 is shown enclosing the apparatus of theinvention, and comprises a frame 11 partially enclosed by sheet metalsides 12. A hopper 13 is formed in the upper side of the container and apair of shafts 14, 15 are rotatably mounted in parallel relation acrossthe bottom of the hopper 13. The shafts l4, 15 are rotated in oppositedirections to each other so that teeth members 16 of one shaft drawrefuse toward teeth 19 of the other shaft tearing and breaking ittogether. As refuse is deposited into the hopper while the shafts rotateit is shredded, ground and broken into small pieces capable only ofpassing through the allowable spaces between the teeth. The upper sidesof the shafts rotate toward one another as indicated by arrows 17, 18,of FIG. 2, insuring that all the refuse passes through the shreddingteeth, rather than slipping down the sides of the hopper.

Power for the shafts is supplied by hydraulic means which also drivesthe hydraulic mechanisms for the rams of the apparatus.

A hydraulic ram 20 is mounted to the upper side 21, of frame 11, tooperate reciprocally downwardly into the compacting chamber 22. The ramdrives a compacting plate 23 into the refuse collected above an anvil 24which forms the bottom of the compacting chamber. The refuse has beendirected from the shredders and hopper into the compacting chamber.

7 In FIG. 3, the compacting chamber 22 is shown with sides 26 made ofsheet metal with a pair of outwardly opening doors 27, 28, facinginwardly within the container 10. A hydraulically operated ramcylinder'device 29 is located beneath the chamber 22 with its ram andfixed to the bottom or anvil 24. The anvil 24 is free to move under theforce of the ram forward into storage space 70, across guide means 30,31. The compacting chamber sides 26 are fixed to the frame 11 by channel33 but the bottom or anvil 24 is not attached to the sides 26.

In FIG. 3, a tube of thermoplastic film is shown in broken lines 34 anda bag of refuse 35, both shown immediately after heat sealing andsevering one from the otherat a common broken line 36, by severingmechanism 37.

The severing and heat sealing mechanism of the invention comprises apair of Teflon coated wire heating elements 38, 39, held by bar members40, 41, opposite on another and spaced apart prior to and after usage toallow a tube of film to pass between them and rest within the compactingchamber located beneath the sealing unit. The holding bars 40, 41, areboth slidably mounted on a pair of guide rails 42, 43, and havehydraulic ram devices 44, 45, associated with them to cause the bars totravel toward one another and abutt upon contact in substantiallyparallel relation and over the centre line of the compacting chamber. Asthe bars abutt one another they force the tube of thermoplastic film 34to narrow in size until closure occurs. When the bars come intoabuttment heating elements 38, 39, carried on the facing sides of thebars press the sides of the film together and heat seal them togethercausing the closed tube to create a completely enveloped packageenumerated 35, below the sealing unit and creating a new bottom to thetube 34 shown above the sealing unlt.

On either end of each bar one end of a pair of folding arms 46, 47, areattached. Each folding arm consists of two pieces of strap metal ofequal length pivotally connected together and pivotally connected toopposite ends of each of bars 40, 41. when in the at rest position eachfolding arm is slightly folded inwardly at its centre pivot 48, 49, asshown in FIG. 4 to ensure its bending inwardly when the bars are movedtoward one another. The purpose of the folding arms is to create acentre fold inwardly in the plastic tube during the closure and sealingoperation thereby providing a neater and stronger seal to the refusepackage. The quadrupling of the thickness of film of plastic at theupper corners 50, 51, of the bag prior to sealing gives the additionalstrength to the closure when heat sealed together.

As the ram 29 is actuated to draw the anvil 24 forward into the storagespace 70, a back plate 52 which is welded at its bottom edge to theanvil 24, is carried forward also and pushes the sealed bag of refuseagainst the doors 27, 28 opening them. The doors are shown in FIG. 3 inopen position, in broken lines and the back plate 52 is shown in itsadvanced position in broken lines 53 where it has ejected the sealedrefuse bag. Upon reversal of the hydraulic ram 29 the anvil 29 and plate52, will in combination return to position to form the bottom of thecompacting chamber and the doors which are spring hinged at 54, 55, 56,57, spring shut preventing the refuse bag from returning with the anvilinto the chamber.

FIG. shows a chute 58 positioned below the shredders 14, 15, to directthe chunks and pieces of refuse toward the space within the containerabove the sealing unit from whence it falls into the tube 34 that hasbeen sealed at 59 to form a closed bottom thereto.

A framework or cage 60 with irregular shaped sides 61, is fixed in thespace above the compacting chamber and holds in loose folds a tube ofthermoplastic film commercially available and in a length of upwards of72 feet.

When a tube of film is loaded onto the cage one end is first sealed andallowed to hang down into the compacting chamber with the remainder ofthe tube gathered in folds around the cage 60. The irregular shaped sidemembers 61 of cage prevents the film from adhering to the cage therebyassisting the folds of the tube to be readily pulled in successiondownward.

Whenever the sealing unit 37 is employed to close and seal a bag ofrefuse and create a new bottom for the tube the next stroke of ram 23pushes the new bottom down for a new bag. The hydraulically poweredcompacting ram 23 is operated with the shredders to pack the refuse fromthe shredding hopper into a solid mass in the bag film covering theinside of chamber 22, by forcing ram head 23 downward against the refuseheld on the anvil 24. As refuse builds up in the bag in the compactingchamber 22, the stroke of ram head 23 is impeded and it will therebypush with greater force. When a predetermined pressure is reached apressure switch in the anvil will arrest the shredding and ramming stepsand actuate the sealing and ejection units. With return of back plate52, a limit switch 66a, will be actuated to restart the shredders andramming procedures.

By the use of well known hydraulic switching and valving techniques theapparatus of the invention is made to operate substantiallyautomatically. The initiation of the start button 65,.provides electricpower to motor 25, which drives the hydraulic pumps to set up therequired pressure for operating the ram cylinders 20, 44, 45 and 29, andthe hydraulic motors for driving the shredders 14, 15. The shredders andcompacting ram being immediately to function and their function isarrested only by the pressure switch in the anvil which actuates, insequence, the sealing unit 37 and then the ejection ram 29. A switch canbe located on the bag cage 60 to indicate by light means on the panelwhen there is no more film and to also stop the hydraulic action of thedevice. The sequence will recommence when more film is fitted to thecage.

When the device is not required for continuous use a timing device andphoto-cell means can be used to actuate the rams and shredders only whenrefuse is present in the hopper. For example, a photo-cell devicelocated at the mouth of the hopper would be actuated by the entrance ofrefuse onto the shreddersv A timing device would keep the apparatusfunctioning for a space of time and then stop it until more refusebreaks the photo-cell circuit to restart the cycle.

Whenever a chunk of refuse cannot pass through the shredders a pressureswitch on the shredder unit will cause the shredders to reverse rotationthereby throwing the chuck outward to allow it to pass down the sides ofthe hopper into the chute to the compacting chamber.

An additional feature of the invention is the provision of a jog switchto allow start-stop or intermittent operation of the device when repairsare required to any point of advance in the sequence or in rotation ofthe shredders. The jog feature also allows an operator to clear theshredders of jammed chunks or else to help them clear their teeth ofheavy loads by the jogging action of intermittent operation.

The complete hydraulic system is not shown but hydraulic lines 66, 66band 660 are indicated.

The teeth 16, 19 of the shredders can be offset as indicated by numeral72, in FIG. 2 to provide superior shredding characteristics, and theteeth can be closely intermeshed as at 73, or be set apart by spacingthe shafts as in FIG. 5, depending on the fineness of shreddingrequired.

In FIG. 6, the construction of the heating elements 38, 39, is shown andcomprises an impulse electric element 67 with a rise or dimple or ridgealong its material. The heating element is covered with a coating ofTeflon 69, to insure that the film is not damaged and does not stick tothe heating element. An elastomeric or rubber cushion 68 supports theTeflon-coated heating element in the channel of the holding arm to allowthe flexible heating element to give way into the rubber whenever a lumpor fold in the film is pressed against it thereby insuring uniformity ofsealing along the abutting faces of the sealing units 38, 39, and theavoidance of holes or unsealed parts to the edge of the bag.

The foregoing is a description of a preferred embodiment of theinvention which is given here by way of example only. The invention isnot to be taken as limited to any of the specific features as describedbut comprehends all such variations as come within the scope of theappended claims.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclu-' sive property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. Refuse shredding and packing apparatus comprising in combination;

hopper means having a refuse receiving opening from an upper sidethereof;

at least one shaft member having teeth thereon, ro-

tatable within said hopper means;

wall means forming a bottom wall and side walls defining a compactingchamber, disposed at a lower level than said hopper means and having anopen side; means adapted to position an envelope within said chamber forreception of refuse therein, said envelope beingsupported against theweight of said refuse by said bottom wall and side walls lying aroundthe exterior thereof; means adapted to direct shredded refuse from saidhopper means into a said envelope in said compact- I ing chamber;

refuse packing means reciprocally moveable into and out of said envelopeagainst said bottom wall of said compacting chamber for forcing refuseinto said envelope, said envelope being extended against said bottomwall and said side walls of said chamber by refuse as the same is beingcompacted;

power means for rotating said shaft and for reciprocating said packingmeans, and,

sealing means operable to close and seal said envelope around saidcompacted refuse.

2. Refuse shredding and packing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, whereinsaid envelope is part of a continuous tubular member, and includingstorage means for said tubular member, and wherein said sealing meanssevers said tubular member during sealing.

3. Refuse shredding and packing apparatus as in claim 2, whereinthe'sealing means is actuated by a pressure switch to close and sealsaid envelope about said refuse after a predetermined quantity thereofhas been packed therein.

4. Refuse shredding and packing apparatus as in claim 3, wherein saidsealing means comprises a pair of parallely disposed impulse electricheating wires adapted to sever'and seal said bag of film when pressedtogether with said bag between.

5. A refuse packer comprising in combination;

a hopper for receiving refuse therein;

shredding means disposed in said hopper to chop and tear refuseintroduced and falling thereon;

wall members defining a compacting chamber having an open side, at leastone of said wall members being moveable between open and closedpositions to provide door means for said chamber;

means for delivering the chopped refuse from said hopper to said openside of said compacting chamber;

reciprocating ramming means adapted to compact said chopped refusetogether against one of said wall members of said chamber to form a massof refuse;

means for surrounding said compacted mass of refuse with an envelope ofthermoplastic film;

means to seal said film about said refuse;

ejecting means for pushing said envelope of refuse from said compactingchamber when'said move- 6. A refuse packer as in claim 5, wherein saidshredding means comprises a pair of shafts mounted across to said hopperand rotatable toward one another, each shaft having randomly mountedteeth thereon to intermesh with teeth on the other of the pair of shaftsand thereby catch and shred refuse falling therebetween.

7. A refuse packer as in claim 5, having a cage means for storing a tubeof plastic film between said compacting chamber and said hopper, saidramming means pushing a portion of said tube into said chamber to receive refuse therein after a bottom has been formed therein by saidsealing means.

8. A refuse packer as claimed in claim 5 wherein said ejection meansincludes a second moveable wall member, moveable across said chambertowards and away from said first mentioned moveable wall member.

9. A refuse packer as claimed in claim 8 wherein one of said wallmembers constitutes the bottom wall of said chamber and wherein saidramming means moves towards and away from said bottom wall forcompacting refuse thereon, said bottom wall and said second moveablewall member being attached to one another and moving in unison forejection of said compacted refuse. v

10. A refuse packer as claimed in claim 5 including tube folding meansmoveable in unison with said sealing means to infold said tube prior tosealing.

1. Refuse shredDing and packing apparatus comprising in combination;hopper means having a refuse receiving opening from an upper sidethereof; at least one shaft member having teeth thereon, rotatablewithin said hopper means; wall means forming a bottom wall and sidewalls defining a compacting chamber, disposed at a lower level than saidhopper means and having an open side; means adapted to position anenvelope within said chamber for reception of refuse therein, saidenvelope being supported against the weight of said refuse by saidbottom wall and side walls lying around the exterior thereof; meansadapted to direct shredded refuse from said hopper means into a saidenvelope in said compacting chamber; refuse packing means reciprocallymoveable into and out of said envelope against said bottom wall of saidcompacting chamber for forcing refuse into said envelope, said envelopebeing extended against said bottom wall and said side walls of saidchamber by refuse as the same is being compacted; power means forrotating said shaft and for reciprocating said packing means, and,sealing means operable to close and seal said envelope around saidcompacted refuse.
 2. Refuse shredding and packing apparatus as claimedin claim 1, wherein said envelope is part of a continuous tubularmember, and including storage means for said tubular member, and whereinsaid sealing means severs said tubular member during sealing.
 3. Refuseshredding and packing apparatus as in claim 2, wherein the sealing meansis actuated by a pressure switch to close and seal said envelope aboutsaid refuse after a predetermined quantity thereof has been packedtherein.
 4. Refuse shredding and packing apparatus as in claim 3,wherein said sealing means comprises a pair of parallely disposedimpulse electric heating wires adapted to sever and seal said bag offilm when pressed together with said bag between.
 5. A refuse packercomprising in combination; a hopper for receiving refuse therein;shredding means disposed in said hopper to chop and tear refuseintroduced and falling thereon; wall members defining a compactingchamber having an open side, at least one of said wall members beingmoveable between open and closed positions to provide door means forsaid chamber; means for delivering the chopped refuse from said hopperto said open side of said compacting chamber; reciprocating rammingmeans adapted to compact said chopped refuse together against one ofsaid wall members of said chamber to form a mass of refuse; means forsurrounding said compacted mass of refuse with an envelope ofthermoplastic film; means to seal said film about said refuse; ejectingmeans for pushing said envelope of refuse from said compacting chamberwhen said moveable wall member is in its open position aforesaid, and,power means for operating said shredding means said ramming means, saidfilm sealing means, said ejection means, and said moveable wall member.6. A refuse packer as in claim 5, wherein said shredding means comprisesa pair of shafts mounted across to said hopper and rotatable toward oneanother, each shaft having randomly mounted teeth thereon to intermeshwith teeth on the other of the pair of shafts and thereby catch andshred refuse falling therebetween.
 7. A refuse packer as in claim 5,having a cage means for storing a tube of plastic film between saidcompacting chamber and said hopper, said ramming means pushing a portionof said tube into said chamber to receive refuse therein after a bottomhas been formed therein by said sealing means.
 8. A refuse packer asclaimed in claim 5 wherein said ejection means includes a secondmoveable wall member, moveable across said chamber towards and away fromsaid first mentioned moveable wall member.
 9. A refuse packer as claimedin claim 8 wherein one of said wall members constitutes the bottom wallof said chamber and wherein said ramming means moves towards and awayfrom saiD bottom wall for compacting refuse thereon, said bottom walland said second moveable wall member being attached to one another andmoving in unison for ejection of said compacted refuse.
 10. A refusepacker as claimed in claim 5 including tube folding means moveable inunison with said sealing means to infold said tube prior to sealing.